so ye are circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." The next verse is connected with the one now cited, and shews how all this takes place. v. 12.

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."

Is this, then, the closing proof for immersion? If it be, we must see wherein its great strength lieth. There is the more necessity for this, because, we presume that a great many have derived edification from the passage, and yet have nev er seen any thing in it relating to the mode of administering the ordinance of baptism. However, if it contain evidence and proof relative to this point let us see and own it though it should s be rather occult and obscure.

Is this then the argument? Those that are buried are covered with earth; therefore those that are baptized should be covered with water? When we are following analogy so close it would be well enough to ask, Whether the dead clothes and coffin do.not hinder their entire immersion.in the earth? If that is considered to make no odds in the case of interment, we would again ask, If this might not suggest an improvement upon the Baptist plan of immersion? If the subject were enclosed in a tight box, and box and proselyte deposited in a hole dug in the earth; water might be shovelled upon the box till it was

covered, and the baptized's clothes kept dry. In this way the common mode of sepulture might certainly be more completely represented than by the present mode of immersion. It would certainly, however, be advisable, if such a plan should be adopted, that the box should be a little farcical in its size, so as to contain some vital air lest the farce should terminate in serious reality as often as it now does. But we have gone perhaps too far in shewing how ridiculous this mode of interpreting the passage is. Let us see if the plain and obvious sense of it be not better, viz: That we die completely to all hopes of life and salvation by the soul-humbling exhibition of the crucified, dead and buried Saviour.

Again we rise to a newness of life and comfort by the faith of his resurrection. This com ment is confirmed by collation with a parallel passage in Rom. vi. 3, 4. "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that, like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." It is certainly proper that we should understand one scripture by another and one part of the same passage by another. According to this mode of comment it is evident that the rising, in these texts is not a rising out of the water of immersion, but out of the grave of a natural state, to walk, not on the banks of the river, out of which they have ascended, but to walk in newness of life.

but we lay it

If it should still be urged, that though these expressions do not positively prove that dipping is the only proper plan, they prove that it is the more expressive mode of exhibiting those spiritual truths and experience which baptism is designed to represent. If that itself were the case, certainly the consideration should have weight. But first, it is certain that Christ, in his baptism unto death was sprinkled. If, in all verbal and ritual institutions, then, we should have respect to Christ and him crucified, to have his death set before us, sprinkling is the best mode. Second. According to both ancient and modern modes of in-terment, burial is more naturally expressed bysprinkling, than by immersion. We do not plunge the corpse into the earth, down and sprinkle mould upon it. We have al ready seen, that the scripture very often repre sents the spiritual signification of baptism by sprinkling, but never by immersion. The sumtherefore of the matter seems to be this: Baptism has several significations in scripture use; the rite of course may be done in several ways. Ministers are not particularly instructed how they should administer it. Examples from scripture, so far from fixing its meaning to dipping, rather render it incredible, that this was the ancient mode. The most convenient, and decent way, allowing common sense to judge, is sprinkling, and the most significant mode, by the decision of the scriptnres is sprinkling. Lev. xiv. 7. Psalm ii. Isa. i. 15, Ez. xxxvi. 25. Heb. ix. 13, x. 22, xii. 24. 1 Pet. 1, 2.

PART V.

AN ADDRESS TO ANABAPTISTS.

I HOPE, to such of you, as are candid enquirers for truth and instituted order, this publication will give no offence.

1

I am the more encouraged to hope this, because it is your ordinary argument and plea, that this sacrament should be administered strictly, punctually, and formally, according to the divine will. You also admit that the divine will is to be learned from the divine word. All these are features of professional character, which I can unhesitatingly say, are to me amiable and attractive.

I have thought of you as the Apostle did of his beloved countrymen, that you have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. If the matter of fact were as you suppose, if you had ali scripture authority upon your side, you would deserve credit for your zeal, tenacity and industry. If the fact be otherwise, you stand in a delicate situation. The decision, upon your side of this controversy, is a very responsible one.

You decide not only that infants are not, cam

not be members of the Church of Christ, but you decide also that the great body of Christian professors are unbaptized, and that the great majority of Christian ministers are unordained. You ought really to pause, and maturely weigh arguments upon both sides, before you decide and act upon such heavy matters. This certainly ought not to be done, by, " So I think; or so brother or elder such a one thinks. The Father of the Spirits of all flesh must decide this; the Redeemer of the Church who purchased her with his own blood, and who will finally judge every one according to his works, must settle this, and every other controversy. But his will is to be known from his word. Let that supreme standard then be candidly examined and fairly interpreted. You must not examine the sacred word with the spirit of party; but in candour and with the spirit of God. Compare the passages generally cited on this controversy with one another, and with the scope and tenor of the parts wherein they are found, and with the word generally. Examine them in the light of divine grace. Remember as you read, This book is a history of redeeming love and divine grace. With regard to plain matters of fact we would have you to consider, that the examples of adult baptism recorded in the scriptures do not authorize you to re-baptize. Those who are mentioned as having been subjects of adult baptism, you must remember, were not baptized in infancy or youth. Now, if it be found that you are judging another